PMF denies chairman was warned of strikes, orders inquiry into brigade

BAGHDAD — The Popular Mobilization Forces denied Sunday that Chairman Faleh al-Fayyadh knew in advance of last month’s U.S.-Saudi airstrikes and failed to warn units, while disclosing that all forces had been told two days beforehand to take maximum precautions and that one regiment did not comply.

The 4th Regiment of the 30th Brigade failed to implement the required measures and took the largest number of casualties, the PMF said, adding that Fayyadh had ordered an investigation into the unit’s commanders “to determine the circumstances surrounding this negligence and establish responsibility.”

The denial answers Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which alleged that U.S. envoy Tom Barrack told Baghdad about the strikes three hours in advance and that Fayyadh was informed but did not order positions evacuated. Ahmed Adnan, of the political bureau of Sadiqoun, the group’s political wing, said parliament was preparing to question Fayyadh.

The PMF called the allegations “false accusations” that were “unsupported by any evidence or fact,” said its forces had been on alert since regional tensions escalated months ago and that the precautionary orders had reduced casualties. It accused unnamed political entities of exploiting the dead and wounded “to settle political scores and undermine the PMF leadership,” and said it reserved the right to take legal action against anyone spreading false information about its leadership.

The PMF’s Nineveh Operations Command said seven strikes hit the 4th Regiment of Brigade 30 and the Directorate of Armored Combat in the Nineveh Plains at 3:20 a.m., killing eight members of the brigade and two from the directorate and wounding six.

U.S. and Saudi aircraft struck PMF sites in Baghdad, Wasit, Nineveh, Basra, Kirkuk, Karbala and Diyala in late July, killing at least 20 members and wounding 32, according to the force. U.S. Central Command said the strikes hit weapons-storage and logistics sites linked to Iran-backed groups after more than 30 drone attacks it attributed to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

Iran-aligned factions said they had postponed an attack on Saudi Arabia and U.S. military bases planned for Friday, standing down at the request of Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Amiri, while saying they had not abandoned the rights of those killed and wounded.